Strikeforce ‘Rousey vs. Kaufman’ Prelims: 5 Reasons to Watch

By: Mike WhitmanAug 16, 2012

It is time once again for Zuffa’s red-headed stepchild to take
charge and create a bit of hexagonal violence for the amusement of
that sweet premium cable audience.
Strikeforce “Rousey vs. Kaufman” on Saturday is headlined by a
titular women’s bantamweight title confrontation between
arm-collecting champion Ronda
Rousey and well-rounded Canadian Sarah
Kaufman, who will attempt to reclaim her throne atop the
135-pound rankings.

Before the ladies throw down on the Showtime-broadcast main draw, a
quartet of undercard contests aims to tickle your fancy on Showtime
Extreme. Here are five reasons to peep those prelims, live from the
Valley View Casino Center in San Diego:

Cutting for ‘Cat’s Eye’

Regardless of how Hiroko
Yamanaka’s bantamweight debut transpires, it could not possibly
go as poorly as her last appearance at featherweight.

The former Smackgirl open weight champion made her foray on
American soil as the most recent challenger for then-Strikeforce
featherweight queen Cristiane
Santos. “Cyborg” made mincemeat out of the 33-year-old Japanese
fighter, blitzing Yamanaka with a barrage of blows that ended her
night in just 16 seconds. However, the Brazilian would later test
positive for an anabolic steroid, resulting in the bout being ruled
a no contest by the California State Athletic Commission.

Strikeforce matchmaker Sean Shelby did Yamanaka no favors by
casting her opposite Germaine
de Randamie for her first bantamweight appearance. While “The
Iron Lady” cannot match Santos in the way of sheer power and
aggression, she is nevertheless regarded as one of the smoothest
and most technical strikers in all of women’s MMA. Can Yamanaka
navigate de Randamie’s dangerous muay Thai attack and kick off her
bantamweight run with a victory?

Ain’t Easy Beating Green

Look to your left. Now look to your right. It is a good bet that
neither of those people could pick Bobby Green
out of a lineup, and that is unfortunate.

Just 25 years old, Green already owns 23 professional fights to his
credit and enters the cage riding a three-fight winning streak. The
former two-division King of
the Cage champion made his Strikeforce debut a little more than
a year ago, dropping a controversial split decision to Gesias
Cavalcante before submitting Charon
Spain and James Reese
to close out 2011. Most recently, Green pulled out a split decision
of his own, topping Strikeforce staple James
Terry.

Since a first-round submission loss to Dan Lauzon
back in 2009 -- a bout notable for Green’s repeated accidental
groin strikes and its inclusion on what would be the second and
final show promoted by Affliction
Entertainment -- Green has lost just thrice, falling to a much
larger David
Mitchell and then future
UFC talent Tim Means
before recently losing the aforementioned split decision to “JZ.”
Can Green continue his winning ways and show Shelby he is ready to
make a run up the Strikeforce lightweight ladder?

Ricehouse for Real

File
Photo

Matt Ricehouse is 6-0.

Standing in Green’s way of continuing his climb
will be Matt
Ricehouse. The 25-year-old is not a world-beater -- at least
not yet -- but it appears the young man could establish himself as
a solid lightweight commodity in the coming years.

This is obviously contingent upon Ricehouse continuing to post
wins, something he has done exclusively since beginning his career
two-and-a-half years ago. The prospect holds only one fourth of the
professional experience of his upcoming foe but has yet to taste
defeat, rattling off six consecutive victories to date. Ricehouse
made his Strikeforce debut in just his second outing and competed
thrice more inside the hexagonal cage, outpointing previously
unbeaten fighters Ryan
Couture and Bill Cooper
in 2011.

If Ricehouse can upset Green, it should be a signal to Strikeforce
brass and fans alike that the Washingtonian is ready to take the
next step in his career.

Takedown Time

If you were not aware, the last time “Takedown” stepped into the
cage, she had her arm mangled by arguably the sport’s foremost
arm-mangler in Ronda
Rousey. The defeat likely proved doubly bitter because it cost
Tate her Strikeforce women’s bantamweight title. Now apparently
back to 100 percent, Tate will undoubtedly look to reclaim her belt
down the road, a possibility that should make fight fans nod
approvingly. This women’s 135-pound division might not look like
the UFC’s lightweight pool, but there is no question that the lady
reigning atop the category will have no shortage of viable
contenders gunning for her gold in the future.

However, in order for Tate to earn an opportunity to win back her
title, she must take a steady first step against Jackson’s
Mixed Martial Arts rep Julie
Kedzie. A 26-fight vet, Kedzie will try to rebound from the
unanimous decision defeat she suffered to Alexis
Davis at Strikeforce “Fedor vs. Henderson” in 2011. Will Tate
make a statement toward reclaiming the championship, or can Kedzie
pull off the upset and add her name to the growing list of fringe
title contenders?

Unfamiliar for Amagov

Adlan
Amagov may not be used to losing, but that is exactly what he
did against Robbie
Lawler in January. The real question: how will he respond after
suffering the first knockout of his career?

A Chechen-born middleweight now residing in New Jersey, Amagov
holds some serious potential at 27 years old, as evidenced by his
first-round knockout of Anthony
Smith in November. Unfortunately for the Red Fury Fight Team
rep, a mental error led to his recent knockout defeat. After taking
Lawler to the mat, he managed to secure the American’s back briefly
before controlling him with a front headlock. It was there that he
launched an illegal knee that grazed Lawler’s skull, costing him a
point and, more importantly, causing referee Steve Mazzagatti to
restart the fighters standing. Lawler’s flying knee would come not
long after, and Amagov’s unconsciousness soon followed.

Can Amagov put only the second loss of his career behind him and
avoid similar mental errors against Keith Berry
or will the “KO Kid” live up to his namesake and right his ship
after losing four of his last five?